- Journal -

19 June 2005
After fooling around with United's automated luggage tracking system for a few hours (it was one of those automated interactive voice response phone systems), I finally got through to a human being who informed me that my luggage was indeed in Raleigh (even though the system informed me it was still missing). Thank goodness! It is good to be home.

18 June 2005
I call this (literally) "The longest day of my life."

At 1:45 PM, UA 870, a Boeing 747-400 filled with several hundred passengers taxied down the runway and took to the skies. After cruising over the Sydney CBD (central business district), we continued over the Pacific. It would be 12 hours before I'd see land again. I sat next to a gumpy old guy who informed me he was a management consultant. Why anyone would ever want to work with this guy is beyond me. I got right to sleep to try and compensate for jet lag, sleeping right through dinner. We soon entered night. When I woke up, you could barely see the sun rising over the ocean. It was the quickest sunrise I'd ever seen since we were flying right towards it at 600 miles per hour. We arrived in San Francisco at about 9:30 AM on the same day, just over 4 hours before I left Australia. I guess I got my day back.

At San Francisco, I and what seemed to be 1000 other passengers arriving at the same time cleared immigration, acquired our luggage, cleared customs, re-checked our luggage, re-cleared airport security, and were on our way. At this point in time, I was only about 5-10 minutes from missing my next flight. After a quick call home (and to Stephanie), I boarded my flight to Chicago. I was very excited about this flight, since I'd get to see the landscape of the USA flying eastward during the day.

At 11:50 AM we left for Chicago. We flew high over the western states, across the rockies, and across the plains. I fell asleep again (I was at this point 2 for 2 sitting next to grumpy old guys) and landed in Chicago. I was again impressed at how big this airport was.

I checked in with home and Stephanie and made my way to a Chili's for dinner - a Philly cheesesteak and an IBC root beer - what a great first meal back!

We were scheduled to leave for Raleigh at 8:55, but were delayed for an hour just sitting at the gate. The air conditioning was malfunctioning, and the temperature soared inside the plane. Needless to say, people were very cranky. We took off and made it to Raleigh very well past our scheduled arrival time. Once there, we were also kept inside the overheating plane for an additional 30-45 minutes. So close to home and more delays! The reason was another plane touched down just before us, and there were not enough airport staff to cover two planes at once.

I hurried off the plane towards the baggage claim area to my parents who were waiting and freezing in the airport's air conditioning - of course if felt good to me. I was excited to see them, and they were excited to see me.

After another long wait, the luggage started coming in. Of course, United had to lose a bag of mine - the suitcase with all my souvenirs in it. They assured me it would arrive tomorrow. At 3 am after I (and 25 other passengers whose luggage was also lost) filled out the necessary paperwork, we arrived home.

June 18 had lasted almost 2 full days.

17 June 2005
Checked out of I-House, said my good-byes, and then off to Sydney with Tuhin, Linda, and Alice. Upon arrival, we made our way to the Formule1 hotel near the airport. In fact, it was so close the planes took off right over our hotel ;-).

We had a great time having dinner at a restaurant by the opera house. Gas heaters kept the outdoor seating area warm - it was probably 55 degrees F by the time we started heading back to the hotel.

After dinner, we stopped by the airport to see if the lounge was open. It wasn't, but the plane viewing area was, so we stayed there for a bit before heading back. Talked late into the night.

16 June 2005
Today Tonia introduced me to her fiancé Greg who is moving out to Australia after teaching at Notre Dame for a while. He is also into experiential learning (as is Tonia), and we talked for a couple hours about many things over lunch. He is especially interested in how experiences such as studying and living abroad in different social conditions influences change and promotes learning in people. Thank you both for a great time. I then went to see Georgine, my Aust 101 professor, for one last good-bye and then walked back to I-House from campus for the very last time.

It's strange to think that this is it - not only for Australia but for school. I packed late into the night, and everything looks like it will fit. I also had my last I-House meal (thank goodness). Have to leave early tomorrow for Sydney.

15 June 2005
Packing, packing, packing! I don't know if it is all going to fit! Tonight, I added even more to the luggage with a Tim-Tam run. Those chocolates are delicious - I have to get them back to the US for some of my family and friends to try. Linda also let me drive from campus back to International House. Driving on the left is certainly a different experience!

14 June 2005
I call today "the day the finals were over." Today was also the day the Internet was cut off for the end of the session. Oh - and "School's out forever!" WoooooHooooooooooo!

13 June 2005
Studied all day for the final tomorrow. I've never really had an exam on two entire textbooks before. At least Eduardo was nice enough to tell us how many questions on the final would come from each chapter.

12 June 2005
Woke up early on a Sunday morning and made it to church, St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral in Wollongong. The service is exactly the same as back home. They even had a remote-controlled organ!

Afterwards walked around town to take some pictures and visited the art gallery one last time. Bumped into Rob from politics class out of the blue who was hunting around for some souvenirs for back home. Took a nap and continued studying into the night.

11 June 2005
Had the politics final (yes, on a Saturday). It was 3 hours long. All essay questions. Done now thank goodness. Studying for my final final scheduled for Tuesday for the business innovation class. One week to go. I'm ready to go home.

10 June 2005
Started packing. That is all.

7 June 2005
Made my way south to Nowra to spend the day with Rhona and later with Tonia in Kiama. Glad to spend some quality time with Rhona. She is a good friend and mentor to me, almost like a grandmother or great aunt. She was kind enough to invite me down and show me around the area around Nowra where she lives - one of the most beautiful areas I've seen. Australia is a beautiful country, and I can't wait to get back to the States to travel and see it.

Speaking of the States, Tonia had just returned from the States with a box of Captain Crunch and some Reesie's Pieces. Interesting to see what Australians return to their country with from the US.

Back to Wollongong late in the evening. Thanks to you both for your friendship and hospitality.

6 June 2005
Woke up early to catch a 6:30 AM flight. I never found out who the other three people in the room were just because of the timing. Shared taxi fare with a Brit to get to the airport. Arrived back in Sydney and caught the train to the city and on to Wollongong. Arrived for lunch. Went to get the reef pictures developed - some turned out quite well!

Also took the time to shop in a David Jones, a department-type store like a JC Penney's/Macy's/Kauffmann's. Australians have hundreds of different kitchen appliances to choose from - very high-quality things too. From chrome toasters to juicers, grills - you name it, they have it, and it's good stuff. A salesman approached me asking if I needed help. I said I was an American and just browsing to see what the store was like. He thought our Wal-Marts were like this - having everything on the face of the earth for sale. I had to explain to him that Wal-Marts indeed did stock a wide variety of products, but they are nowhere near as high-quality.

5 June 2005
After a free day to catch up on reading, writing, thinking, and reflecting, I hopped on the bus and made my way back to Cairns where I again stayed at the YHA Hostel. On the way back, the bus got stuck in the mud, so we actually all had to get out and push! Re-scheduled to an earlier flight out of Cairns since it was again supposed to rain all day. Went to bed early.

4 June 2005
Headed out early again to catch a boat to see the Great Barrier Reef. Although the weather did not seem its best and the waves were quite choppy, we made it out there. Out at the reef, there were some patches of blue. The fish don't seem to notice when it rains, and the coral was active as ever.

It was my first time snorkeling, and it took some getting used to not being able to breathe through the nose - only with the mouth through a tube. When I first plopped in, looked down, and saw how deep it was, I about freaked out. You would see for many many tens of meters in all directions. Crystal blue water. Fish of all colors, shapes, and sizes - some as big as me. As I swam closer to the reef system, the water dropped down to only a couple meters deep. There were clams that I could fit inside - huge things, probably many hundreds of years old. The fish swam all around me. The many types of coral were quite colorful and very beautiful. I purchased one of those underwater cameras, so I hope the pictures came out.

After a full day out on the water, we came back. That evening, I had roasted chicken stuffed with sundried tomatoes, olives, and cheese covered in pesto sauce. For a small place out in the middle of nowhere, they sure had good food!

3 June 2005
Up at the crack of dawn to catch a bus at 7 am to begin a trip even further north to Cape Tribulation, site of Captain James Cook's running aground of the Endeavor on the Great Barrier Reef as he explored Australia in 1770. Along the way visited a wildlife sanctuary where a bird landed right on my shoulder. Then it was off to Mossman Gorge in the Daintree National Park where we were able to hike around and swim in the gorge if we wanted. Here we were warned that not only are the animals dangerous, but the plants are too. Some can tear skin open on contact, others can make your skin feel as if it's boiling. Eeks - puts North American poison ivy to shame. If there was one word I could use to describe the rainforest, that word would be green. After this, it was to the Daintree River (famous for its crocodile-infested waters). There the group of us took a river cruise in a small flat-bottomed boat while the bus caught the ferry several kilometers up and waited for us on the other side. Got to see several HUGE crocodiles, birds, snakes, frogs, mangrove trees, and a lot of thick muddy, murky water (where crocodiles like to live).

After this began our trip through the (sometimes) paved and tightly windy roads leading into the thick of the rainforest. Up and down and all around they went sometimes passing through creek beds along the way.

Arrived at the Beach House - a small resort sorta place - some cabins seemed like honeymoon suites, others were dorm shares (5 people to a room). They were all nestled into the rainforest. Only room for 50 people total in all the cabins I'd guess.

That night, it rained and rained. Had fish and chips for dinner (with locally caught fish, too). Gave me an opportunity to meet other travellers from all over - Hungary, Britain, Scotland, and Germany. Collectively, this group had travelled to just about every country imaginable. Europeans especially seem to like travelling to Asian countries. Many had been to Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, China, and Singapore. Many have taken six months - one year to travel from place to place. Very interesting people the were. That night, the sounds from the rainforest and the thunder of the rain kept me up and thinking for a while.

2 June 2005
Hopped the train from Wollongong to Sydney and then off to the airport. The train headed into the city was delayed, and I missed my train to the airport. Eventually made it there with only 40 minutes before takeoff - luckily they still let me on.

Took off on JetStar, a budget airline. Instead of having assigned seats and classes of seating, you purchase your ticket based on when you want to board the plane. The most expensive tickets get to pick their seats first. Budget ticket holders get to sit in whichever seats are left over after everyone else has chosen theirs. Drinks and food are extra $. If you ever fly to Australia or within it - fly Qantas. No one else compares.

Rough flight, landed in Cairns, was raining. Took a taxi to the YHA Hostel in central Cairns. Walked around a bit before it started to rain. Had dinner that evening at a place called Apres Beach Bar & Grill. As I found out, crocodile tastes like chicken. There was also a statue of Jake and Elwood - the Blues Brothers - out front. Restaurants here cater to those who speak German, Dutch, French, Italian, Japanese, and English. I sat next to a couple from Denmark who were polite enough to ask before lighting up their cigarettes. A lot of people smoke.

I also noticed this at the YHA. Didn't spend a lot of time talking to people but had a chat with a guy named Benoit from Quebec, a physical education teacher. He says up in Canada, they teach not only basketball and football (soccer) but also trekking (hiking) and camping. Fell asleep early.

1 June 2005
Finally getting over being sick. Confirmed trip plans today and finished me last paper! Only two more exams to go, but first a few days of relaxation.

29 May 2005
Near constant work on the last two papers - that is all.

27 May 2005
Tonight was the Residents' Association Formal end of the year dinner/party type deal. Was feeling pretty sick, so slept through most of it (the parts of the evening that were not related to eating food ;-).

25 May 2005
Last day of class ever (at least undergrad work). Two papers and two exams, and I'll officially be done. Today I got to use Windows XP Chinese edition on a friend's laptop. Also learned in my electronic cultures class that there is a group out there called the Barbie Liberation Order who swapped voice boxes in GI Joe and Barbie dolls and returned them to store shelves to the surprise of some shocked customers. Did you know that Barbie dolls say things like "Math is hard" and "Want to go shopping?" I guess it would be cool to have a Barbie doll that says "Dead men tell no lies" but a GI Joe that likes to shop? Bizarre.

24 May 2005
Today was my last day of lectures. Every professor seemed a bit tardy. The one professor, Eduardo, was about 15 minutes late, realized he forgot his wireless microphone, and made us wait another 10 minutes while he went back and got it. Everything is wrapping up. Tomorrow is my last day of tutorials.

19 May 2005
Had a busy day. Booked a final trip to northern Queensland to see the Great Barrier Reef and rainforest (thanks Parents!). Then wandered downtown for a haircut, saw an exhibit on Aboriginal art at the Wollongong City Gallery. Later on in the evening, we had out end-of-the-year CIEE dinner. Good to see everyone together again. Sad to be almost done. Looking forward to coming home.

15 May 2005
Time to return to Wollongong. On the way home, we passed the monument dedication to the dog on a tuckerbox - you can look that up online if you really want to. Passed Rayner's Creek (not exactly Rainer, our friend from Germany, but close). Also witnessed a guy smoking at a petrol station near a bowser (fuel pump) - we made sure to get out of there as quickly as possible. Made it back in time for dinner in Wollongong. Thank you to Chris and Linda for having me over - good times and tasty food in the country town of Wagga Wagga.

14 May 2005
Started out with a trip to the farmer's market where the food was just absolutely delicious. There was also a book sale at the library. This was all in a central area around a lagoon which also featured a walking path and outdoor ampitheatre. Also got to see the Murrumbidgee River, St. John's Anglican Church windows, the National Art Glass Gallery, the Wagga Civic Centre, and the Wagga Wagga Art Galley.

After lunch with Chris, we were off to wine tasting at Charles Sturt University (where you can major in viticulture) before retiring for the evening.

13 May 2005
Today we ventured out to Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Met up with Linda's friend Dan and sampled away. Later in the day visited the botanic gardens before returning to a delicious dinner courtesy of Chris, Linda's Mom.

That evening, we enjoyed the Scottish Tattoo on television (a drum corps/choreographed bagpiping show) followed by the Sydney 2000 Olympics opening ceremony. Also caught a glimpse of Australian reality TV - one where several couples competed in dance and a commercial for "The Shearers" - reality TV sheep shearing.

12 May 2005
Well, decided to go on an adventure with Linda to her home town of Wagga Wagga, NSW. The trip began with a 4 -5 hour car ride from Wollongong to Wagga (the locals only say it once, but the town slogan is "double the fun"). Passing through Goulburn on the way there, we saw the Big Merino (a giant sheep). Australians have a thing with giant novelty statues which include a giant potato, a giant banana, and a giant prawn to name a few. The area has been struck with drought for quite some time even through it is very agri-centric.

Some other interesting things passed on the way there were a wombat crossing sign, speed cameras (to enforce speed limits on rural highways), a wind sock (on a high bridge), and a maze-like interchange just past Goulburn. Interchanges here rarely involve bridges like in the US, and because driving is on the left here, it seemed like we were always headed down the wrong path.

Once in Wagga, we took a drive past Charles Sturt University (2 bars on campus and a Kangaroo warning sign as you pass in the main entrance). Also visited a Coles (grocery store) and a K-Mart of all places.

10 May 2005
Lots of work on my last presentation of the year - an analysis of cultural and experiential tourism in Australia with empasis on the role of landscape in perception of the country. After that, two more papers and two finals to go!

Today we had a fire alarm in politics class. It was a gradually increasing beep such that (a) you weren't sure what it was at first and (b) you weren't startled out of your seat. Every 30 seconds, a voice came on the intercom saying "Emergency situation, please evacuate safetly and immediately."

8 May 2005
Yesterday went to Sydney with the CIEE folk to see a Australian Football League game at Telstra Stadium (site of the 2000 Olympic Games). Was pretty fun. The Olympic Park area is quite nice. Was a great game that came down to the very end. Sydney ended up beating Essendon 94-88. After the games, spectators are allowed onto the field to play a little rugby of their own which we took advantage of.

Happy Mother's Day, Mum!

4 May 2005
Just wanted to let everyone know that I was pooped on by a bird today. Luckily, I was wearing a hat at the time. Everyone who saw it happen says it's apparently good luck and "No worries, mate."

2 May 2005
Politics paper handed in! Now onto the presentation themed "Land and Nation" for Australian Studies next week. After that, 2 more huge papers and 2 final exams to go.

1 May 2005
Holy moly, it's already May! Good luck to all you PSUers taking your finals and graduating. I miss you.

Spent until 5 in the AM finishing this politics paper. My goodness it was intense.

30 April 2005
Today, I took a trip to Canberra (pronounced CAN' bear ruh, not can BEAR' ruh), Australia's national capital. We began the trip early (around 7 AM). It took about two and a half hours to get there from Wollongong. Along the way, we were planned to stop at Lake George, but I didn't see any lakes, and we ended up missing this stop - O well, bummer. But no worries.

Our first stop was Telstra Tower, a 195 meter tall structure rising from Black Mountain providing a view of the whole city. The view from the top was great - just a bit chilly up there. The tower is located in a park with many hiking and biking trails. In fact the whole city is beautiful and designed with many green areas.

Next, we visited the National Museum of Australia. Here are many exhibits on Australia's national history and culture. It's quite a very futuristic style building. I think the neatest exhibit I saw was an interactive projection map in the shape of Australia. Depending on which buttons you clicked, different pictures and stories would appear on the map. There was also an interactive exhibit on Australian broadcast radio in which you actually turned a radio dial to change the projection screen in the exhibit and learn more. I also rode what was possibly the largest elevator I've ever been in.

Next, we were off to the Australian War Memorial. Arranged in a straight line from the Parliament House, it is an amazingly beautiful structure to commemorate those Australians who have died in service to their country. Beneath lies an immense underground museum dedicated to Australia's participation in war.

Our final destination was the Australian Parliament House. This is an new and amazingly beautiful building. What shocked me the most about it was the fact that a tour bus drove right up to and parked underneath the building, and a bus load of tourists got off, went through a security check along the lines of an airport, and was free to walk about and explore all the areas of the building on their own. An elevator to the roof revealed a fantastic view towards the War Memorial and a grassy area on the roof. So in theory, and thanks to Linda for pointing this out, you can have a picnic on the roof of Australia's Parliament House.

On the way back, we took the opportunity to drive by many of the embassies and high commissions in Canberra. For all the ones we passed, I never got to see the US embassy. However, the Chinese one was certainly interesting.

After such a long day, the trip back to Wollongong was made all the more interesting by a batch of Kids From Hell. Mackers for dinner. All in all, a beautiful place and a highly enjoyable trip.

29 April 2005
The rest of this week was pretty much working on that politics paper. Nothing much else goingon.

26 April 2005
8:30 AM Business Innovation class exam. Was the craziest multiple choice test I've ever taken. Just about each and every question had a statement followed by five or so descriptive conditions and five options for answers ("Conditoins A & B", "A & C & in some conditions E", etc). No partial credit, so you have to know the whole and complete answer. Did I mention this one exam covered the content of an entire textbook?

This evening, we held Juliet's going away party. She is the co-director of the CIEE program here (with Tonia) and is heading to the see her kids for a while.

25 April 2005
Today was ANZAC Day. I had to keep with tradition and have a beer. Today, a group of us also went out to celebrate a birthday at the Chili's. Had the chicken fajita quesadilla meal. Not as good as I make them 0:-) but pretty darn good.

24 April 2005
It's snowing in Pennsylvania this weekend. SNOWING. IN. PENNSYLVANIA. *looks at calendar* yep, it is almost May. Aye Carumba!

Worked all day on a politics essay here.

23 April 2005
I hear Matt & Matt through quite a fiesta - Fajitas and Margaritas 3 - at the place Friday night. Glad you all enjoyed yourselves and sorry to have missed you. Matt^2, I am looking forward to seeing pictures of that bar you built.

This is ANZAC Day weekend (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps), similar to our Memorial Day weekend.

In other news, while at the North 'Gong Pub this evening, I witnessed for the first time in my life suspected whoopie-making in a porta-lou.

22 April 2005
After somewhat of a day of rest and catching up with people, I spent my entire day in the library looking through old articles from Gulf War I (1991) in Australian newspapers for a politics essay due next week. Let me tell you, microfilm and microfiche are fun stuff no matter what anyone says.

20 April 2005
Presentation went great. I think all of the Aussie students were completely blown away by how different things can be in the States. Classes over here rarely use PowerPoint let alone WebCT/ANGEL/Blackboard, and they were surprised to learn some classes I've taken were entirely online.

19 April 2005
More work on the big presentation for tomorrow. I think it's going to last an hour. Lots of good content. Thanks to those professors who replied with some good information regarding their use of online materials in their classes - much appreciated. Going to be lots of work tonight to get things wrapped up and ready for tomorrow.

18 April 2005
Classes drove me nuts today. I could barely sit still. I think senioritis may finally be setting in.

17 April 2005
Working on a big presentation for Wednesday on the role of digital materials and environments in higher education. Decided to head to Canberra on the 30th rather than next weekend (ANZAC weekend) since I have a test on an entire textbook at 8:30 AM the Tuesday after that long weekend.

16 April 2005
Hiked up Mt. Keira today - took me about 4 hours, but the view from the top is quite nice. The terrain hiking up the mountain seems almost like that of a tropical rainforest. At the very top, there is a small park and a cafe that looks out over the entire area including the suburbs to the north and south of Wollongong.

15 April 2005
Nothing much to report. Just in the thick of school.

10 April 2005
The past week was one of a lot of work getting back into the groove of things. Last night, I went to an APO function. Let us just say...it was interesting. I predict that the rest of the session will be just this busy.

4 April 2005
Back to the grindstone. Lots of reading and paper writing to be done.

3 April 2005
Crammed everything back into my suitcase (which is nearly falling apart now) and headed to the airport. QANTAS flight 752 back home. Saw Sydney from the sky before circling around and landing over Botany Bay. Arrived back in Wollongong at 4:30 PM. Unpacked and did laundry.

Sad to see such an amazing trip with some amazing people come to an end. From the city to the outback to a tropical island, this has been the week of my life.

2 April 2005
And the water didn't start working until half an hour before we were set to leave today. When we did leave, we headed for the Hanson Bay Koala Sanctuary where you can see koalas just chilling in the wild. Then we were off to see some Australian sea lions. I drank a bottle of K.I. rainwater. It's interesting to note that many of the buildings in the outback run on solar power (solar cells), wind power (windmills), and use water conservation techniques (low-flow and rainwater collection).

Just after that, we had lunch in Vivonne Bay where I saw sponges in the wild! And after that, we went to see the Little Sahara, an area of huge rolling sand dunes in the middle of K.I. We climbed to the top of the largest dune and rolled the whole way down. It was quite a lot of fun. (I don't even think I've ever rolled down a hill before.) I was laughing so hard on my way down that I got a mouthful of sand. We were all completely coated in sand by the time we left.

Then it was off to a honey farm where I tasted Australian sparkling honey which tastes more or less like cream soda. Then it was off to Sunset winery, an amazing place, before catching the ferry back the mainland.

Once back in Adelaide, we had dinner in a Greek restaurant called Eros where I tried the quail. We were outside when it started to sprinkle (only for a moment), and an awning extended out from the buliding over-top of us. It was neat to see how it worked. Afterwards had dessert at Cold Rock creamery (again) where I had Aussie Vanilla (more robust than regular) and Tim-Tams (Aussie chocolate wafer candy). I figured I couldn't get much more Australian than that. It was quite delicious.

1 April 2005
Today, we left Adelaide early to catch a ferry to Kangaroo Island. We travelled from Cape Jervis across the Backstairs Passage to Penneshaw on K.I. Took a short ride to Prospect Hill which offers an amazing view of the island. Then we had lunch at Stokes Bay, possibly the most amazingly beautiful beach I've ever been on. You had to walk through a cave-like rock formation to get to this beach and just when you think you won't be able to squeeze through at the end you pop right out onto a magnificent and pristine beach.

After this, we travelled over to Flinders Chase National Park where we went on a bushwalk. We were going to see some platypuses, but they don't much like visitors and go into hiding when they hear anyone coming. We did see some large reddish-brown kangaroos and a couple wallabies. Rachel took a wrong turn, and we spent a bit of time tracking her down. In return for getting lost in the bush, she got to see an echidna!

Afterwards, we saw some New Zealand fur seals, Admiral's Arch (a rock formation), and a beautiful lighthouse at Cape de Couedic. Right at sunset we made it to the Remarkable Rocks (a rock formation which resembles swiss cheese). These were very amazing rocks, and we ran to see them before the sun went down. We were very lucky to get to see them at sunset.

Then we headed off to Flinder's Chase Farm where we spent the night in quite a nice cabin. Late that night, a small group of us went spot-lighting some kangaroos, possums, and wallabies. The water stopped working that evening as we went to bed.

31 March 2005
Today was our free day in Adelaide. I visited the South Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of South Australia, the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, and the State Library of South Australia. I learned a lot about Aboriginal art and history. I also got to see several examples of how art evolved from European to Australian styles from some early Aussie artists.

Tonight was also Wayne's birthday. We went to an Argentinian restaurant called Sosta where he had a huge steak, and I had goat. It was quite possibly the most delicious meat I've ever tasted.

Afterwards, we went to Cold Rock Creamery (the Aussie version of Cold Stone Creamery). And after that, Wayne and I went to take some night shots of Adelaide along the Torrens River which runs through the city. It was tonight that I learned the meaning of the Aussie slang term "Ta" which means thank you.

30 March 2005
Started heading back towards Adelaide today leaving the outback. Along the way, we stopped at Hawker for fuel just as the tank was running dry. Skipping Alligator Gorge, we headed towards the Yourambulla Caves where we saw ancient Aboriginal markings.

Had lunch in Quorn before heading to the Clare Valley (bordering hte Barossa Valley) where we toured three wineries. The wine is unlike any I've ever had in the States. Arrived back in Adelaide and grabbed a quick dinner at BURP'S Burritos. The Australian version of Mexican is quite delicious.

29 March 2005
Woke up early to head towards Blinman, another small mining town. Along the way, we stopped at Stoke's lookout for a good view of the mountain chain. Along the way we passed the Blinman golf course (in the middle of the desert, these people have a great sense of humor).

We hiked the Blinman Pools trail along a dry creekbed. A bunch of us decided to go swimming in the outback in a billabong (water hole). I did a cannonball (called a "bomb" here) into the water. It was cool and refreshing and also quite smelly due to the algae in the water. It was here that I called my parents from a satellite pay phone out in the middle of nowhere.

We then headed to Parachilna and Nilpena Station (a 500 square mile cattle farm) which were used for some of the filming in the movie Rabbit Proof Fence. We then got the bus stuck in a red sand dune as we attempted to explore the outback.

Watched the sunset over the desert before trying some kangaroo (which tastes like chewy steak), emu (kind of a sweeter, almost like ground turkey), and camel (a very good, sweet taste).

Sat by the pool with the others most of the evening before watching the world's longest train go by.

28 March 2005
Headed out quite early (6:00 AM) towards Rawnsley Park in the Flinder's Ranges. On the way, stopped in Burra, a small mining town and toured the Redruth Gaol (jail) historical site. The scenery reminds many of Wyoming/Montana/eastern Oregon.

Flinder's Ranges is a couple hundred kilometers north/northwest of Adelaide. It was so hot, you could see the heat rising from the ground. I saw my first willy willy (a tornado-like dusty wind formation) on the way. What surprised me is how out in the middle of no-where this place is.

Once we got there, we hiked up Mt. Ohlssen-Bagge until we reached the summit at 941 meters. Looking out, you could see quite a distance. The mountain is part of Wilpena Pound which is a mountain formation resembling a large crater even though it isn't one.

Saw some kangaroos and emus on the way to our accomodation. That evening there was a magnificent clear sky, and I snapped a good picture of the Southern Cross constellation.

27 March 2005
Hopped on the bus in early morning to head to Sydney. There are 8 students and 3 adults on the trip. Caught QANTAS flight 751 to Adelaide and left at 12:20 PM. Flew over the Blue Mountains and over Australian farmland. QANTAS is a very good airline with very good food, a tad more leg room, and some very cool looking aircraft.

Arrived in Adelaide and had dinner at Cafe Piatto. They had some very good chicken pollo pesto. I also had Cooper's Pale Ale and a Coca Cola from a glass bottle. Adelaide is a nice city, and we stayed at the Mercure Grosvenor hotel just opposite the Adelaide casino. That evening, we played a game called "spoons" in which the goal is to pass cards around in a circle until you get 4 of a kind, then grab a spoon. There is one less spoon than the number of players so it's like musical chairs, and the person who does not get a spoon collects a letter until he/she spells S-P-O-O-N.

26 March 2005
Woke up at 5:30 AM to make it to the Uni to head to the Blue Mountains and the Jenolan caves. Saw the Three Sisters before turning onto a narrow and windy road up and down the 1000+ meter tall moutain range. The Blue Mountains get their name from the oils of the eucalyptus trees which give the air a blue tint from a distance. The mountains are amazingly dense, tall, and steep.

It wasn't until 1813 (25 years after the British arrived in Australia) that the mountains were crossed by Gregory Blaxland, William Wentworth, and William Lawson who followed the ridgetops rather than the valleys of the mountains and opened up exploration westward into the plains of Australia.

On the way down, we passed a novel invention. Instead of slow/stop sign flagholders traditionally used to direct traffic in construction sites, there was a pair of portable stoplights which somehow communicated with each other when to turn green and red. This allowed safe travel even though there was no construction work occurring on this stretch of road when we passed.

At the bottom of the mountain, the tour bus drove through (yes, through) a cave to reach the parking area. Then the group of us toured the Jenolan caves which are located about 45 minutes past Katoomba.

On the way back up, the tour bus nearly got stuck as it tried to pass a caravan of vehicles coming down the mountain. It took an hour to figure out a suitable logistics strategy for everyone to navigate past each other.

On the way home we stopped at a Hungry Jacks (which is a Burger King). Whoppers and fries taste the same here. I finally returned home at 8:30 PM. I'm off on my mid-semester break adventure tomorrow morning.

25 March 2005
Went to Sydney with Tuhin today to attend an IT conference. Everything went extremely well. We missed breakfast to run to the train. Then we got to Sydney and when the convention center was closed we realized the conference was in May (not March). Then we missed dinner after catching a late afternoon train back. :-) We didn't even wonder why there would be a conference being held on Good Friday. DOH! What a day.

At least we had a good lunch. Alice (who went with us to Sydney before she was off to New Zealand for mid-semester break) recommended a good Thai restaurant. Delicious.

24 March 2005
Finally turned in my Australian Cultures paper today. It was on the role of women in the formation of the Australian national identity. Australian history, as many western histories do, omits women from their national story when in fact they contributed a lot to the formation of the country.

Then I relaxed and got to catch up with a few folks. It's quite a nice day here, about 25 degrees and bright and sunny. I hear it's snowing again in Pennsylvania. Had a pretty wicked storm yesterday though, 125 kmph winds and 5 meter seas.

22 March 2005
Have been extremely busy with schoolwork. Lots to do before mid-semester break.

19 March 2005
Have a nice time playing pool and ping pong after dinner. Then I caught the tail end of the Sum of all Fears. At about 11 o'clock, I went to the beach with a group of friends. It was a beautiful evening. It's just under 3 months until I return to the States now. Mid-semester break starts at the end of this week. I still have 2 papers, 3 essays, and a presentation to go.

18 March 2005
Started the day out by sleeping through breakfast, and I came within 10 minutes of sleeping through dinner too. Haven't been feeling so hot. Ended up staying awake late into the night talking about world events and politics. I get the feeling that I should write a book with all the people I've met here and call it "How to Fix the World."

17 March 2005
Finally, the Internet works again - it has been several days. I feel as if I've lost contact with the outside world because of it.

16 March 2005
Woke up extra early today. Had to make it to the library to print out an essay before class - 11 cents Au per sheet. Did some readings over lunch for my e-cultures class. This class hands down is the most interesting one I've ever had. The Australian cultures class is quite interesting too.

Began to rain in the evening, so I took a nap. Woke up and watched a movie - The Thomas Crown Affair - quite good in my opinion.

15 March 2005
Was inducted as a peldge into APO today. Don't know if it will take off here or not. If it does and UoW recognizes us as a student group, we'll be the first recognized chapter in all of Australia. Exciting stuff.

Lots of work to do on this end. Just like at PSU, it seems the professors try and get everything in before mid-semester break, which begins next weekend for us.

Pretty bummed that I won't get attend the Red Cross gala at PSU this weekend. We have something called a "commencement dinner" this week which seems like a dress-up dinner sort of deal. At least it will break the monotony of dining hall food.

14 March 2005
More class. Lots of work to do.

13 March 2005
Set out to do homework, ended up finishing Who's Looking Out for You? Finished Stupid White Men a couple days ago. I think O'Reilly and Moore both make good points in each of their books.

Other than that, did nothing much. Stephanie woke me up early with a phone call ;)

12 March 2005
I started out wanting to hike Mt. Keira today but couldn't figure out how to get up to the trail. So, I went to the beach instead. ;-) In all I must have walked 10 miles today, and it feels like it, so I'm going to take it easy.

Learned that there are towns called "Wagga Wagga" and "Woop Woop" in Australia. You can also say "My car is out in Woop Woop" to mean it's far away in a parking lot.

In other news, it feels quite strange being bald, but it is a few degrees cooler up there.

11 March 2005
My phone hasn't been working for a while (again). The official explanation I received from the office was "When it is raining, the phones don't always work."

Tuhin and Linda drug me all around today. It started with a trip to Uni at around noon to have my head shaved. It was in an attempt to break the world record of the number of people who shave their head in a 24-hour period to raise awareness for children with Leukemia.

Toured the Wollongong Botanic Garden, then we went to listen to jazz at the UniBar (great band).

Later in the evening, we all went to Chili's for dessert. I had a brownie sundae. The menu and look of the restaurant are almost exactly the same as in the US.

10 March 2005
Today was a long drenching day of rain. We need it since water restrictions were just lifted, and we're just coming out of a ten-year drought here.

Went to the Illawarra Committee for International Students meeting in the early afternoon and was nominated onto the committee. Then I did more reading.

Tonight was also Asian cuisine night - a special dinner type of deal.

9 March 2005
Every class I had today in some way expressed a certain discontent with the US and its policies or culture in some way. By some strange coincidence, the same things were brought up in every conversation I had today while walking to class and eating dinner.

It was strange being in a position trying to justify US policy under President Bush and being told time and time again that I "have to do something about it."

In response, I started reading Michael Moore's Stupid White Men and to counter-balance it Bill O'Reilly's Who's Looking Out for You?

Went out for pizza late. It is just not the same as pizza back home - tastes more gooey with less flavor. In contrast, Coca Cola has more flavor and less sugar.

8 March 2005
Two lectures and some catching up with Stephanie. Then more catching up with schoolwork. Have an exam tomorrow and some essays to work on, also a poster and a presentation coming up.

Learning about the beginnings of the Internet and how it came to be used as a communications tool in the e-cultures class. It's pretty wild stuff. Some visionaries such as Ted Nelson and Martin Greenberger predicted the rise of the Internet and World Wide Web before this stuff was even invented (even before ARPANET in 1969). They were surprisingly right on the money. Greenberger even predicted that it would be commonplace by 2000AD for people to be able to shop from home and look up information in a shared information space (the Web as we know it).

The time here seems to be flying by. I can't believe I've been here almost a month now.

7 March 2005
Another beautiful day. Still getting caught up. Had my first kebab (bbq chicken) at "chat time" with Tonia and Juliet. A kebab appears to be grilled meat and vegetables wrapped in a medium-thickness pita wrap. Although it was mighty tasty, the bbq flavor still does not compare to Danny's in North Carolina. I still have yet to try a kangaroo burger.

6 March 2005
Catch up day!!! ...even though it is beautiful outside, 23 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.

5 March 2005
At 8:44 AM, left for Sydney with Summer, Veronique, and Tiffany. Arrived just about one and a half hours later. Caught the subway into town, and the first sight I saw was the massive Sydney harbour bridge from the platform. Made my way down to the harbour area and over to the opera house. It is quite a work of art. I still don't know how it remains standing with its many angles. The town is quite a beautiful place with a laid-back feel.

After this, went to the visitor's information centre which is located at the Rocks (a historic district) on George Street. Then went to the Museum of Contemporary Art which was featuring works by Bridget Riley. Then hopped across town to Bondi beach where we all lounged a bit. Quite a nice beach and quite some awesome surf (maybe 3-5 meter waves). Had a late lunch during an afternoon thunderstorm - fish and chips. The airport is just south of here. I learned that while landing, we flew over Botany Bay, which is where the First Fleet (first group of prisoner ships from Britain) landed in Australia.

After the storm let up a little, made our way by bus back into town. We made it to Darling harbour which is next to Sydney harbour and then to the Sydney Aquarium. Spent a few hours there admiring all the aquatic life which ranged from jellyfish and seahorses to coral and sharks.

After this, we headed towards Oxford Street to see the Mardi Gras parade. Passed the IBM building which is right on Darling harbour.

If you did not know, the Mardi Gras parade in Sydney is not like the New Orleans version. Rather, it is a celebration of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgenderal/etc rights. The streets were very crowded as was every balcony along the way. However, it seemed calmer than I expected. The people were very nice and friendly. It never seemed to get very rowdy and certainly never out of control.

The parade itself was quite interesting to say the least. I saw things here that I have never seen before. What was quite apparent to me (no joke) was the love in the air. Parents marched with banners supporting their sons and daughters. Brothers marched in support of their siblings. It seemed as much an activist event as a parade.

Afterwards, I took the subway back to the harbour where I took some night shots before catching the 12:14 AM train back to Wollongong. It ended up being a beautiful day.

4 March 2005
Wouldn't you know that I picked the perfect time to get caught in a mid-afternoon thunderstorm on my way downtown? Picked up some Tim-Tams to bring back home (unless I eat them first). A Tim-Tam is a chocolate-covered wafer cookie. Organized all my reading for all my classes so I have a better feel for where I'm at. In the evening was thinking of going to see a jazz band at the UniBar, but didn't. Also found out there's jazz every Friday. Had trivia night in the evening. Six rounds of random questions. Most played it as a drinking game. Somehow, our team name ended up being the "Horny Jellyfish."

Still debating whether to go to Sydney on Saturday or not. It depends on the weather which I hear it not supposed to be good. A group of people are leaving early to hit up all the free museums and see the harbour, so it might be worth the trip after all.

3 March 2005
Can't say I did all that much today besides read and catch up with some friends. After dinner, I fell right to sleep until 9 AM the next morning.

2 March 2005
Today was the first day that I had all of my tutorials. I must say that I'm pretty well worn out after all of that, but I really like all of my classes. It seems as though a lot of focus and attention is given to discussion and interaction. It also seems as though the Aussies are much more effective communicators than Americans and better at interpersonal skills, especially in group discussion.

My Australian studies professor, Georgine, studies the history of technology. One thing that she is specifically interested in is the history of women in the automotive industry. How cool is that! PhDs over here seem a lot cooler, a lot smarter, and a lot more effective at teaching than in the States. The same can be said for the graduate students who run many of the tutorials. It is also true that to study in Australia, you have to speak English and speak it well.

I'm also liking the feel of a smaller campus better than the monolith that is Penn State. You get to know people better and interact more. You also don't feel like just a number or a cog in the machine.

1 March 2005
March has arrived. It's almost spring for those of you in the northern hemisphere and almost fall for us. I sure do hope the weather up there coincides with the change in season. I know it's been snowing a lot lately.

Had another busy day at class, afterwards went and found the Australian Post Office. I wasn't expecting it, but they sell post cards there (who would have thunk?), so I picked a few up to send back. It is $1.10 Au for post card postage and $1.80 Au for regular letters sent back to the States.

In class, I learned that Australians view the Internet differently than Americans and don't seem to use it as much or as often. I also learned that a conservative republican is actually a liberal democrat here. Everything I know is wrong!!! The seasons are backwards, day is night and night is day, pine trees "droop" upwards, people drive on the other side of the road, water spins the other way, and now republicans are democrats.

Got to talk to Dan "the man" Chow today, too. We're thinking of living somewhere around Silver Springs or Bethesda, Maryland.

Later on in the evening, I had the chance to take my first walk on the North Wollongong beach. It's quite beautiful. Sorry, no pictures yet.

28 February 2005
Didn't do all that much today besides read for class and go to class. The phones are still out, so I can't make or receive phone calls, and the Internet is flaky. Being so disconnected makes me feel isolated (as if being 10,000 miles away didn't ;-) Lots of reading and a few essay questions to write out for tomorrow - headed off to do some schoolwork.

27 February 2005
I can't believe that it is almost March already! Today I went and did some shopping. Got a new alarm clock and a bunch of goodies. Check this out. They have a cookie called a "Tim Tam" here that is a chocolate coated crunchy wafer. There are "No Frills" brand crackers. They have caramello koalas (as opposed to caramello candy bars). I also found several flavors of chips and pretzels: chicken flavored chips, sweet chili and sour cream chips, tomato and basil pretzels, honey baked ham chips, and sour cream and onion doritos!

Afterwards, I fell asleep in my political science textbook only to wake up just before dinner was over. Lots of reading in all my classes, several hundred pages worth in the first week or so alone.

Later on in the evening, I went with Linda and Tuhin to Macker's where I had a cheese and tomato sandwich happy meal (complete with hot wheels car toy) followed by lively policital discussion. Apparently, the Liberals here are the more conservative of the Aussie political spectrum.

26 February 2005
Woke up just on time to zip out the door and get on the bus to surf camp. As it turns out, the alarm clock done stopped working. Was going to head out in the evening to get a new one, but all the shops here close early on most nights including Fridays and Saturdays (between 4 and 6 pm). The late night shopping night appears to be Thursday. There do not appear to be any stores that remain open late here or in many parts of Australia (...bars on the other hand...)

Had a great time surfing today. Realized that I don't have the best balance in the world. The longest runs I had were about 20 meters laying on the board and about 1 meter standing. :-) It was a little cloudy, but this was probably a good thing so we didn't burn to a crisp. The water was warm and crystal clear. I could see my feet and even the sand on the bottom even when I was out so far that I couldn't stand.

Afterwards, we had the opportunity to visit Crooked River Wines in Gerringong. Some of the grapes produced here are sent to the Barossa and Hunter valleys (famous for their wine making). They have some white port here that is just divine. Also had dinner, too. Squid. It was delicious. Then Scott (our coach driver) took us home through the Jamboree valley, quite a beautiful area.

25 February 2005
I hear that you all in Pennsylvania have been getting a lot of snow lately. I've been missing you all back there a lot lately, but I have to say that the weather here alone is motivation to escape, at least for a little while. Grey skies get quite depressing to me.

All I really did today was play a little basketball and do some more laundry. I was planning to go to the beach but instead got to catch up with my buddy Cody which I enjoyed. The machine got grease all over my clothes, so I'm not too happy about that at the moment. Jamming to some didgeridoo music while I wait for the wash to finish. Going to surf camp and wine tasting over the weekend. Also lots of reading to do. Classes here are very demanding, and the reading assignments are extensive. That being said, the professors are very cool preferring that students call them Eduardo or Georgine or Rebecca or Graham.

24 February 2005
Did some laundry earlier on and then went to campus (but not for classes). Today was clubs and societies day. I joined the Wine Society, the Illawarra Committee for International Students, and decided to pledge for Alpha Phi Omega (Stephanie should be excited).

The Wine Society has monthly day long wine festivals with live entertainment. The ICIS has weekend trips to different places around the area (like the Blue Mountains and Canberra, the national capital). APO is a service fraternity. It's the very first semester that APO has existed at UoW, so it should be a fun time being a founding member. Stephanie brought up an interesting point in conversation earlier too - I really have not seen any evidence of greek life here on campus.

Afterwards, slept most of the afternoon, then went out to the North 'Gong (a local bar). Went out with a group of folks for a short while before coming back to do some reading.

I just flicked another green spider with red dots off of my leg. They do seem harmless, but this is the second time in two days. It should be noted that Oz has the highest concentration of deadly and poisonous animals of anywhere else in the world.

23 February 2005
Well, today was the day of my first tutorial (more in-depth, smaller class size type of experience). It was for the Australian politics class. The other three were cancelled as a result of it being only the first week of classes here. Hard to believe that those of you back in the states are preparing for spring break already. Bill et al, have a great time in Vegas - that's awesome, btw.

Anyhow, in this politics class, I get the feeling that the students here are very concerned about the influence of US policy and even business and culture in their country. John Howard, the Prime Minister of Australia, recently announced a possible doubling of the number of Aussie soldiers in Iraq, and the people here seem extremely opposed to doing so.

On Wednesdays, as I noted before, everyone likes to go out and party. Instead of that, I went to see a pair of movies ($3.50 AU - ~$2.50 US), The Incredibles and Garden State. Didn't so much care for Garden State as I loved The Incredibles. Hard to believe these are just coming out here. I believe they were realeased in the States a while back.

O, and Jeff Loeffert, as promised I had a VB for you during intermission - my first ever beer at the Uni Bar.

22 February 2005
And today's theme is "technology," and I have both of my IT-related classes on Tuesdays. The two professors yesterday were female. The two today were male. It almost seems as if the males are more timid than the females, although no less demanding.

My Business Innovation teacher made us get up in the middle of lecture to go buy the textbook! Of course, once we got to the bookstore, the fire alarm went off. It seems as thought the Australians are very safety conscious. We've had two fire drills at the dorms already. They go very quickly (unlike Penn State), and the firefighters actually show up in their engines with a stopwatch in hand. Each class I've had has begun with a discussion of safety and room exit stategy in case of emergency. They have this stuff very well laid-out.

Books only cost me $175 AU (~$140 US) for FOUR NEW TEXTBOOKS. And even so, I heard some Aussies complain about the high costs of printed materials.

21 February 2005
It's the first day of classes!!! Today's theme is "Australian," and I have both of my Aussie-related subjects on Mondays. The teachers seem very demanding, and we dove right into work. I like it.

20 February 2005
Left early on the morning of the 18th for a weekend trip to the Murramarang (Murr - uh - mar - rang) resort about 2-3 hours south of Wollongong next to a national park. Was an amazing experience. stopped on the way in a small town called Kiama to pick up Tonia, the program director. Was very nice.

The first day started with a hike in the bush - there were so many varied plants and different ecosystems in such a small area. Just passing the crest of a hill you might leave a forest with trees 30 meters tall and enter a sparse grassland only to see larger bushes down the path. The sights were beautiful. The Pacific ocean is so blue! (I live 10 minutes by foot from the beach back in Wollongong but had not been to the beach yet). The first evening, we got to see an Aboriginal family perform ritual dances. Yes, I did get to see a didjireedoo played in person. Afterwards we had a bar-b-q (no shrimp on the barbie, but fish, steak, sausage, and chicken).

The next day, we drove a short ways to a sacred Aboriginal mountain (Gulaga) where we would hike to the top and participate in a teaching lesson. We passed through a small town called Tilba where there is one building that is a candy store, post office, gas station, auto repair, ice cream parlour, and Internet cafe all in one.

The hike was long, and the day was hot. It took almost 2 hours and several kilometers until were were able to have lunch. We were then painted by our Aboriginal guide for this event. His name is Warren and is very concerned that his culture is dying. He is also very aware that to succeed, his people need to be able to be aware of both their own culture and the modern one in which society operates.

As we entered the Aboriginal site, the fog rolled in around us through the trees, and the wind picked up. As we placed our hands on the energy stone, the wind speed increased rapidly. It was a very surreal event.

We climbed up a rock that was some 15-20 meters tall to a flat surface where Aboriginal youth have been taught the ways of their culture for thousands of years. While there, we learned Aboriginal names for native Australian wildlife. I don't think I could pronounce them again. There are over 400 different Aboriginal languages. This is one reason why dancing is so important to them - it is a way of relating information to other tribes.

Once back at Murramarang, we had dinner and relaxed on the beach until well into the evening.

On the way back to Wollongong, we stopped in a town called Berry, where I picked up some Aboriginal items and music to bring back home.

17 February 2005
Been extremely busy going to various orientation things. Today, I decided to be a rebel and not go to the university welcome (akin to Graham Spanier's hello address). It actually rained early on - just enough to cool things down.

Instead, I headed into town to get some shampoo. Was a 25 minute walk (walking is the most popular form of transport, although public transportation here by train and bus seems to be very good and very inexpensive). It's 60 cents AU (~45 cents US) to take the bus which is run by a private company (not government-subsidized like some transport in Sydney is). It is important to know that Oz (Australia) has strict wage laws, and minimum wage even for wait staff can be $15-$30/hour. I don't understand why it takes CATA Bus $1.25 to do a similar route. The route here also runs more often, and more people seem to use it.

At the store, there's a whole range of foods similar to the US with more fruits and vegetables and CHICKEN flavored potato chips (guess you can say they taste like chicken?). All sorts of other flavors - including tomato basil flavored pretzels. The food seems to contain a lot less sugar than the US. I also passed a very, very large alcohol store. It seems that drinking is very much a part of this culture.

I also did laundry ($1 AU/~80 cents US per load).

16 February 2005
Yesterday was pretty boring, just running all over campus to meet professors, being interviewed by them for permission to enrol in their classes, and getting signatures on various forms for various departments. I also had a free sausage for lunch. Apparently a group of students got fed up with the high cost of food on campus, so they founded a club called the Free Trade Society (>?), secured university funding, and now use it to pay for free sausage to be distributed to students today and every Tuesday throughout the session. I got all the classes I wanted including a class in Australian politics, one in Australian culture and identity, one in business innovation, technology, and policy, and one in electronic cultures (how people behave and interact online and how this is affecting education, government, and business). I only have class Monday (late afternoon), Tuesday, and Wednesday.

After that, I slept most of the day.

Ended up going to a country dancing bar later in the evening - fiddle and guitar type stuff. I have to gets me a fiddle.

15 February 2005
On a field trip today - first to a Hindu temple and then to Symbio wildlife park just north of town (headed back towards Sydney). The temple was beautiful and large. No pictures were allowed on the inside, legs and shoulders had to be covered, and feet had to be bare. At the wildlife park, I had the chance to pet a koala and feed a kangaroo! Isn't that wild? They had a very good representation of Australian wildlife.

When I got back to town, I decided to go on a pub crawl (bar tour). Didn't quite make it till 3 am (bars can close as late as 5 am here), but made it to midnight. The bars/clubs here provide free buses to get students to and from. In fact, every Wednesday(!!!!) evening you can go to happy hour at the BAR ON CAMPUS (called Uni Bar), then catch a bus to either a local establishement called the Glass House or to Rusty's, then catch the bus back from midnight onwards. My impression is that Australian beer is better than the US. Main brands are Coopers, Tooheys, and Victoria in case you're ever here. I was completely worn out - orientation early in the morning, jet lag, need sleep.

14 February 2005
Happy Valentine's day 16 hours before it comes to you! Today was University orientation day. We learned the basic rules of the University and scheduled classes. Be glad you have eLion. Here, you choose courses by hand, confirm them in the computer, then get signed/written permission from each instructor to enrol in their subject, then have this confirmed, then it's in the computer. You also have to get out your planner (called a diary here) and make sure none of your classes overlap - there is not auto-time-check mechanism for which classes you're in, and it is possible to schedule more than one at the same time.

Classes (called subjects - majors are called courses) are broken up into lectures and tutorials. You can pick which lecture to go to and which tutorial to go to, so it is easier to customize your schedule. Of course, each college of the Uni has its own system (some electronic, some not) to schedule tutorials (called "tutes"). It is unusual for Australian students to have to cross academic boundaries to schedule classes. They primarily take classes only related to their major, and the general education classes common to the US are replaced by many more core subject classes that are related to and build upon each other. For international students looking to schedule multiple classes in multiple colleges (called faculties here), it gets difficult.

Went bowling later on in the evening. Bowling alleys (and all indoor areas) are smoke-free in New South Wales (the Australian state in which Wollongong resides). It's also a sport primarily played by young people.

Met my neighbor Tuhin. He is a graduate student from India studying IT and a very cool guy. Also met his girlfriend Linda, an Aussie (pronounced Ozzy, like the Osbourne).

I feel like the old guy here. Everyone else is a sophomore/junior here to drink (drinking age is 18). I'm not much of a party-goer (as some of you know). I get the feeling that there are many other activities here, many nature-related, for folks like me.

Internet here is very restricted. On campus, you are allocated 100 mb for the entire semester to web browsing. Guess that puts the VoIP phone plan to rest. Fortunately, it's only a couple cents a minute to call home with a calling card. You can purchase Internet in the dorms through a 3rd party ISP ($25 AU for 500 mb). At least with an ISP I can use AIM. After that 100 mb, you have to petition the Uni for more - and they look through your logs to make sure you're only doing academic-related activities.

13 February 2005
Woke up early and went to international student orientation (on a Sunday - campus orientation is to start on Monday). The showers and bathrooms are very nice - many times better than Penn State. The water DOES flow in the other direction - clockwise - at least through my experiment with the bathroom sink. Met Tonia and Juliet, the two people in charge of the program that got me here. They are quite nice and very supportive. Met everyone else here too in the program - about 20 or so of us, mainly from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. We went on a bus tour of campus and the town. It does not appear as though there are large stand-alone stores like Wal-Mart here, or if there are large chains they are incorporated into shopping centers that also have smaller and local stores nearby. At least this is my impression.

12 February 2005
The time difference is actually 16 hours due to daylight savings time. It was summer, the sun was shining, and it was hot. My first call was to my parents; my second was to Stephanie. Met up with the Uni of Wollongong travel bus which took a fair-sized group of us to Wollongong, Australia - about a one hour ride to the south.

Checked in at my dorm - feels strange living in a cell block again, but quite a nice place and a room all to myself. My first meal in Australia was a McOz on a trip organized by a few of the mentors. It's a fair-sized burger with onions and a beet on it purchased at a McDonald's (Australians call is "Macker's" - they like to abbreviate everything). It's in an area by campus called the "fatlands." There is a strong US influence and several US companies can be seen along this stretch of road including a Chili's, Burger King (Hungry Jack), Blockbuster, and KFC.

11 February 2005
Either I never existed on 11 February or was asleep for the few hours I actually was in it. I'm still not sure.

10 February 2005
Boarded the plane (it was a small jet) in Raleigh. George W Bush was in town, and Air Force One took off in front of my flight. We took off at 2:05 PM (GMT -5 hours - surprisingly no delay) to head towards Chicago. Landed at 3:27 PM (GMT -6 hours). Got to see Chicago from the air and the barren, snow-covered fields of Illinois. O'Hare airport is the busiest, biggest, craziest place I've probably ever been. It's so big, there's a dinosaur skeleton in it! After a few hours, left Chicago for San Francisco at 6:10 PM. Darkness followed as we traveled in the air. Soon you could only see the faint orange glow of the cities below us. At first, the orange areas were large and dotted the landscape. As we passed over the plains and into the Rocky mountains, the cities grew few and far between - soon to the point where you could only see only one or two sparse orange dots as far as the eye could see. It's a very lonely feeling.

Arrived at 8:52 PM (GMT -8 hours). Switched planes to a Boeing 747 and departed again for Sydney at 10:15 PM. I was lucky enough to get the window seat in every flight. We were packed in like sardines. I thought maybe since these were international flights, we'd get at least another inch or two of leg room, but I was wrong. I thought flying over the plains felt lonely, but flying over the ocean is even moreso. It is completely dark below you and was almost painful leaving the lights of San Francisco behind.

The stars were visible. I fell asleep after several hours. As I awoke, the sun was catching up with us as I was making it halfway around the world. It's a neat feeling to be "lapped" by mother nature. Landed in Sydney at 7:15 AM (GMT +10 hours) on the TWELFTH of February. I lost a day in there somewhere, don't exactly know where it went, but they say I'll get it back when I return to the US. Continued in the next entry.